 EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/13/2011 5:04:45 PM
[Last Edit: 8/27/2011 7:07:41 PM by EXCATM76]
THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT At first glance everything looks good to go. 
Then I notice that it seems dirty in the center of the picatinny rails. 
Then I notice that there appears to be unfinished lay out lines in the grooves and the sides of the rail are curved instead of straight. 
At this point I'm a little pissed and start to look harder. I probably wouldn't have noticed the crappy finish and ding that had been finished over. But I was being fairly picky. 
All in all I am less than thrilled with the rail. I expected more from CSS. The UTG rail I had on my SAR-1 was nicer than this by far. It also cost half as much and came with rail covers. I realize that $140 isn't a lot of money in the world of AR handguards, but it's getting pricey in the AK world. Especially considering it's another $60 to get the top rail. Not to mention the fact that a set of instructions on how to install it owuld have been nice. But If I decide to install it i'm left to figure out how on my own. I have an email in to CSS. Hopefully this is an isolated incident and I just got a bad one that fell through the cracks. But at this point I can't recomend buying one. I'll have to hun t around and see if I have any 1913 rail compatable accessories to see if the will even fit. Confidence is not high. Do you guys think I'm being overly picky considering this is going on an AK? Well I got the replacement rail in this week and installed it today. still not what I was expecting quality wise. But much better than what I originally got. 
I'll be posting a full review in another thread in the optics and accessories section here. I ordered the top rail so the review will be on the complete quad rail. |
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Posted: 8/13/2011 6:12:35 PM
i would suggest contacting CSS and giving them the opportunity to make it right before running off and bitching on the biggest gun board on the net. i've always had great service from them and i have no doubt they'll exchange it or give you a full refund if you aren't happy,they'll make it right.
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/13/2011 6:41:43 PM
Originally Posted By ftw13:
i would suggest contacting CSS and giving them the opportunity to make it right before running off and bitching on the biggest gun board on the net. i've always had great service from them and i have no doubt they'll exchange it or give you a full refund if you aren't happy,they'll make it right. This is the product they sent out. An exchange or refund will not help someone else decide if they want to buy one of these or not. I have no doubt CSS will offer a refund if I request it. It does not change the fact that this is what they sent out. Do you think sedning this product out with speaks well of thier great service? If this is representative of the product line, people need to be made aware before they buy the product. CSS has ample oppurtunity to respond to both the email I sent them and this thread. Would you prefer members of this forum not be made aware of inferior products. If so please go buy a Century Tantal with a .223 barrel or a WASR without checking the sight cant. One of the great things about this forums is being steered clear of bad products and being made aware of the short commings of midle of the road products. I posted about this product some time ago asking for info and no one offered up any first hand experiance. Had someone else posted pics like this it would have saved me the trouble of having bought this rail over the MI or UTG. |
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/13/2011 6:46:52 PM
Got a respoinse from CSS:
That is not normal. Something must have happened during plating. Please send it back I will send it back and I will send the correct one.
Thanks, Greg So off it will go in the mail Monday. I'll post back when I get a replacement. |
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jdoming728
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Posted: 8/13/2011 6:47:47 PM
Dont take this wrong but if its going to be a safe queen then I could understand your picky ness but if your going to use this and well also if it dosent effect the operation of the weapon then its good to go..... only one mans view... If it bothers you send it back I have purchased many times from then and had no problem returning what I needed and getting back the part I wanted.....
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Posted: 8/13/2011 8:43:57 PM
The curved part of the rails would give me concerns about it being out of spec and not all accessories that mount to the rails would fit properly.
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/13/2011 9:00:19 PM
Originally Posted By dskeet:
The curved part of the rails would give me concerns about it being out of spec and not all accessories that mount to the rails would fit properly. Thats my biggest concern. Greg from CSS says it's probably a problem with the plating. SO I immagine, the curved part is extra plating material. The metal underneath is probably true and straight. |
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/13/2011 9:06:29 PM
Originally Posted By jdoming728:
Dont take this wrong but if its going to be a safe queen then I could understand your picky ness but if your going to use this and well also if it dosent effect the operation of the weapon then its good to go..... only one mans view... If it bothers you send it back I have purchased many times from then and had no problem returning what I needed and getting back the part I wanted..... I'll send it back for the exchange. I'm concearned with the curved parts of the notches interfearing with attaching things to the rail. Also should I ever become independently wealthy, then I'd like to get return to zero repeatability out of the rails. I doubt that would be possible with curves in them. Besides wich if Greg thinks there is a problem with the plating (I assume anodizing is part of the process he is refering to), I'm concearned there may be a problem with the surface hardness. I'm just glad this is not the norm for CSS, I've been happy with the conversion parts I've gotten from them in the past. As to safe queens, I don;t own any, but I like to put the dents, dings and scratches there myself. |
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Posted: 8/14/2011 4:46:59 AM
Originally Posted By EXCATM76:
Originally Posted By dskeet:
The curved part of the rails would give me concerns about it being out of spec and not all accessories that mount to the rails would fit properly. Thats my biggest concern. Greg from CSS says it's probably a problem with the plating. SO I immagine, the curved part is extra plating material. The metal underneath is probably true and straight. The different texture on the finish makes me think that that could be the problem. I guess we'll see when you get the replacement. The rest of the rails in the pics look straight, only that one pic looks a little odd like that. |
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/14/2011 9:19:40 AM
Originally Posted By dskeet:
Originally Posted By EXCATM76:
Originally Posted By dskeet:
The curved part of the rails would give me concerns about it being out of spec and not all accessories that mount to the rails would fit properly. Thats my biggest concern. Greg from CSS says it's probably a problem with the plating. SO I immagine, the curved part is extra plating material. The metal underneath is probably true and straight. The different texture on the finish makes me think that that could be the problem. I guess we'll see when you get the replacement. The rest of the rails in the pics look straight, only that one pic looks a little odd like that. It's actually that way on all the rail surfaces. But just on the edges in the grooves. |
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Dawg180
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Posted: 8/14/2011 10:42:31 AM
[Last Edit: 8/14/2011 10:48:02 AM by Dawg180]
It isn't plating, it is anodizing. Anodizing only changes the dimensions of the surface by raising it up .002"-.003" of an inch. On the second pic it looks like the cutter may have been worn or wasn't set in the collet quite right. As for the "hazing" or "dirty" look, most of the time that is just a sign of very dry anodizing, and it just needs some CLP or gun oil put on the part. If you put WD40 on a nice Colt AR-15 upper it will get that same uneven chalky look when it dries.
Send it back and get a replacement. Companies are run by human beings, and although you should not get a bad part, on the rare occasion it happens, they deserve the chance to make it right. Most companies worth their salt will do it no questions asked, that is just part of good customer service- it appears that is what they are doing in this instance, so you should be good to go. 
Let us know how it turns out. |
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/14/2011 12:32:46 PM
[Last Edit: 8/14/2011 12:34:33 PM by EXCATM76]
Originally Posted By Dawg180:
It isn't plating, it is anodizing. Anodizing only changes the dimensions of the surface by raising it up .002"-.003" of an inch. On the second pic it looks like the cutter may have been worn or wasn't set in the collet quite right. As for the "hazing" or "dirty" look, most of the time that is just a sign of very dry anodizing, and it just needs some CLP or gun oil put on the part. If you put WD40 on a nice Colt AR-15 upper it will get that same uneven chalky look when it dries. Send it back and get a replacement. Companies are run by human beings, and although you should not get a bad part, on the rare occasion it happens, they deserve the chance to make it right. Most companies worth their salt will do it no questions asked, that is just part of good customer service- it appears that is what they are doing in this instance, so you should be good to go.
Let us know how it turns out. According to the owner of the company that makes them it was a problem with the "plating process". Hence the reference to plating. I quoted his email above. I didn''t mention anything about hazing, the dirty looking parts appear to be under the surface of the finish. It is actually very rough in thoose areas. The finish is very thin in some areas as you can see in some of the picks, this is beyond what would normally go away by wiping an upper down with CLP. CSS has been given the chance to get it right, and it looks like they will. |
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EXCATM76
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Posted: 8/27/2011 7:08:10 PM
Update in OP full review here.
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